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Large, unusual models, wagon, Brat


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Picked up these two very unusual models at a local antique show.  They are made of a soft wood and appear to have been made around the same time that these vehicles were new.  They seem to be professionally  made rather than by a Subaru fan with mad woodworking/modeling skills.  They are about 20" long 7" tall and 6" wide.  Could they be a corporate thing, used for promotional or advertising?  Or a dealer thing?  They are really cool but have been banged up over the years. Any information  would be greatly  appreciated.

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Unfortunately  no markings at all, the undersides are not finished and the tires are a soft plastic that are starting  to go flat from age. Only one has a license plate and it just says Subaru.  I thought that they might have been made for  a comercial or a movie or one of the big new car shows?  The guy I bought them from had no information  and was just happy to get rid of them because they are so big.  He didn't even know that they were Subarus.  I looked at them several times  before I got them and waited until near the end of the show.  I can put more photos on in the next couple of days but I don't know how many pix I'm allowed.

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from the stripe across the yellow one that says subaru and the wheels actually being engraved and having 8 spokes just like generation 2 rims from 1980-1985ish, that's pretty spot on.

the more i look at them and study them, the more details i find that are spot on perfect, im thinking it's dealer stuff, perhaps next to the brochures when you were sitting at a sales person's desk or something at some specific dealership.

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here's a weird question, what are the odds the wood species/source could be determined? might offer a clue as to what continent the wood came from at least.

 

USDA will try to ID up to 3 pieces of wood at no charge it seems, but, the smaller the sample, the more difficult. You may not want to harvest a sample even from the the bottom;

 

Technique for removal of small samples from valuable wood products:

Small specimens must be cut or split from large items rather than shaved or gouged. To produce a good specimen, use a fine saw, sharp knife, or small chisel and cut across the grain to a depth of about 3/16 inch. Make two such cuts at least 1/2 inch apart. If a knife is used, a splinter can be split out by prying up at one of the incised points. If a chisel is used, the edge can be placed in one of the cuts and then angled to travel down the grain to the other cut. A sharp tap will produce a good specimen. If the specimen cannot be rolled between thumb and forefinger without crumbling or breaking, do not submit it. Specimens of insufficient size or quality will not be analyzed.

 

from; https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/centers/woodanatomy/wood_idfactsheet.php

Edited by 1 Lucky Texan
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Here is a close-up of one of the undersides to show the type of construction.  It's a soft wood, kind of like balsa but I'm sure it is something sturdier.  Also, here they are from the other side which are not as attractive.

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